PC Steve Court said: “Our aim is to support our communities and raise awareness of doorstep criminals and the tricks they use to gain access to victim’s homes or to trick them out of their money.

“This is a particularly callous and despicable crime that affects vulnerable people in the place they should feel safest – their own homes.

“Hopefully our action this week has demonstrated our ongoing commitment to target the perpetrators of these crimes and ensure they are cannot operate here.

“We aim to build on the activity of this week to continue to work with our communities in order to keep doorstep criminals out.

“If you have an older relative, friend or neighbour, please take a few minutes to talk about this issue with them and let them know there is help and information available.”

Doorstep criminals call at homes unannounced, possibly claiming to be working in the area and to have noticed a problem that needs fixing.

They pressure the homeowner into paying cash for work that has not been requested or agreed to and often charge vastly over inflated prices and the work is either of poor quality or not completed at all.

Anyone who suspects they have been targeted by a doorstep criminal should contact 101 or 999 if a crime is in progress.

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